Empower Texans mailer criticizes Hall impeachment panel

AUSTIN — A conservative advocacy group with ties to UT System Regent Wallace Hall has circulated a mailer criticizing members of the legislative committee weighing his possible impeachment.

Hall is under investigation by the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations for allegedly abusing his power as a regent and failing to disclose lawsuits against him on his regent application.

The mailer, distributed in the home districts of members by Empower Texans, states that lawmakers have wrongly focused on Hall’s behavior instead of investigating allegations that UT-Austin has given preference in admissions to relatives of legislators, has participated in “payola schemes” that benefited faculty, used “accounting gimmicks” to overreport their endowment, and ignored state law by refusing to share information about its finances.

“Instead of uncovering the serious clout-abuse and financial malfeasance scandals, legislators are instead investigating the whistle-blowing regent who helped uncover the problems!” the mailer says.

Jeff Sandefer— the architect of the “Seven Breakthrough Solutions” to fix higher education in Texas, which have been endorsed by Gov. Rick Perry — sits on the Empower Texans board and is a friend and supporter of Hall.

The mailer circulated in the district of state Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, who co-chairs the transparency committee. She said its distribution constituted the action of “an outside group that’s trying to influence an investigation.”

“I think it’s interesting that this mailer hit in the district of some of the members on the committee the week that we’re trying to conclude testimony and wrap up the investigation,” Alvarado said.

Empower Texans president Michael Quinn Sullivan said the Legislature is “whitewashing” any potential wrongdoings committed by the flagship university by focusing on Hall.